Sauces and flavorings from The New Mediterranean Table

I checked out Sameh Wadi's The New Mediterranean Table from the library, and it was OK, but I'm not going to make most of those dishes.  They sound great, and like something I would prefer to pay someone else to make for me. Wadi often cites Saffron, his restaurant in Minneapolis, and I plan to go there when I am visiting next year and tell you all about it.

What I do make again and again from this book are these sauces and spice mixture. They make so many dishes better, keep in the fridge for weeks, and they're really not that much of a pain to make.



Tahini Sauce: 1 cup tahini, 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 grated garlic cloves, 3/4 cup water, salt
Use it: as a dip for vegetables; watered down as dressing for a buddha bowl or salad; tossed with hot pasta and steamed broccoli with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.




Charmoula: 1/4 cup garlic cloves

1/4 lemon juice
sea salt
3 tablespoons cumin
3 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups canola oil
Make a paste of the garlic, lemon juice, and salt.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Will keep refrigerated for 1 month.
Use it: as a sauce over fish, grilled tofu steaks, or meat; drizzled over fresh sliced tomatoes before sprinkling with fresh mozarella in a variation on a Caprese salad, stirred into rice with slivered almonds, smeared onto eggplant slices before grilling or broiling.




Za'atar: 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 3 tablespoons ground sumac, 1 teaspoon salt
Use it: sprinkle on popcorn, hummus, guacamole, pureed white beans, or any other dip; over fish or chicken; stirred through quinoa with steamed vegetables.

Farro with and without Pasta

You may have noticed a running theme on this blog lately, and that theme is avoiding turning on the stove.  My little kitchen is surrounded by non-air conditioned rooms in a charming Craftsman bungalow that was built when the Rockies stayed cool in the summer. It is decidedly more charming come September. Right now we regularly have 95+ degree days, and our little evaporative cooler can't always keep up. So, I often prepare several things ahead in the early morning or late evening, when it's cooler, and then combine and re-combine those ingredients throughout the week. Those things include steamed vegetables I harvest from the garden or get at the farmer's market, pasta shapes, beans prepared in the pressure cooker, and various grains. (If you've been reading for a while, you'll know that I always have some cooked beans and grains in the freezer for times like this.) And of course, the farro obsession developed after that beautiful, life-saving salad at the train station in Milan a couple summers ago. 

Mediterranean Farro Salad, with or without pasta

Serves 2-4

1 cup cooked farro

2 cups cooked pasta shape (penne, farfalle…)--optional

1 lb. green beans, trimmed steamed

1 large ripe tomato, cored and chopped

1 6-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts in their liquid

2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives

¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Zest and juice from ½ lemon

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Dump everything into a bowl, including the marinating liquid from the artichoke hearts.  Stir it.  Eat it hot, cold, or at room temperature.  If you include pasta, this should serve 4 (photo below); without, treat it as a salad that serves 1-2 (photo above).

Mediterranean Green Beans and Orzo with bonus leftover casserole

What a way to enjoy the green beans from your garden (or local farmer's market)! This dish can be made with no meat, or you can replace the chicken I use with tofu, shrimp, chunked cod, etc. And the casserole is a great way to revive leftovers, suitable for brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Scroll to the end for my 30-second tzatziki, which I think is appropriate with either preparation, as well as most other savory foods.

Mediterranean Green Beans and Orzo

Serves 6-8, or see alternative leftover casserole, below

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, diced
1 chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks (optional; leave out our replace with protein of your choice)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice
¼ cup red wine
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
½ cup crumbled feta
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the orzo:
1 lb. orzo
1 small garlic clove, minced
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Bring a well-salted pot of water to boil; cook orzo al dente according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, warm the oil over medium heat.  When it shimmers, add the onion and chicken, along with a sprinkle of salt, and sauté until onion is translucent and chicken is mostly cooked through, about 8 minutes.  Toss in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about one minute.  Add the green beans, tomatoes, red wine, teaspoon salt, and fresh and dried herbs.  Stir to incorporate, cover, and lower to simmer.  Cook until green beans are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.  Season with more salt if desired and pepper.

Drain the orzo and stir in the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and salt and red pepper.  Fold the crumbled feta into the green beans just before serving.  Serve with 30-second tzatziki* and lemon wedges. Perhaps it will look something like this:

BONUS LEFTOVER BRUNCH CASSEROLE

Mix leftover green beans and orzo together in a large bowl. Grease a baking dish and preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon prepared mustard, and 1 tablespoon milk (dairy or alternative), along with salt and pepper to taste; do one of these egg mixtures for each cup of leftover green beans and orzo (so, three cups of combined leftovers=3 eggs, ¾ teaspoon mustard, 3 tablespoons milk…).  Stir the egg mixture into the bowl of leftovers and combine well. Spread evenly into the baking dish and bake in the oven until egg is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

OPTIONAL: When the dish is done, remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella.  Broil on high about five minutes, or until browned on top.

Serve with a simple side salad of fresh greens, slivered almonds, blackberries, and sliced fresh apricots dressed with seasoned rice vinegar and salt and pepper, like so:

*30-second tzatziki

1 cup Greek or other thick, whole-fat plain yogurt
1 small garlic clove
½ teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons peeled, diced cucumber
Black pepper to taste

Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle and crush into a paste.  In a small serving bowl, combine all ingredients, including garlic paste.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt or a dash of lemon juice if desired.

Mediterranean Green Bean and Farro Salad with Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

I decided to make these two recipes together the other day, and it was a greatmeal.  But you can keep both of these in your back pocket to mix and match (or not) with other things; the shrimp is my standard recipe for adding to pasta with sauteed vegetables, adding to Hoppin' John, or just eating with crusty bread.  And this green bean and farro salad is great by itself, as a side with any other kind of protein, and a perfect salad to bring to work.  

Fast Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon sugar
½  teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Juice and zest from one small lemon, divided
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped


Make the flavored butter: in a small dish, combine the butter, garlic, red pepper, lemon zest, and fresh parley.  Set aside.

Place the raw shrimp in a small bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and one teaspoon of salt; stir to coat and let sit while you begin the cooking process.  Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.  When it smokes, add the shrimp, carefully making sure each is laying on its side, making full contact with the pan.  Allow to cook without disturbing for 1 minute, then quickly turn each shrimp onto its other side and repeat the process.  The result should be a nice bit of browning on each side of the shrimp without making the inside flesh too rubbery.

Lower the heat and add the lemon juice, scraping the brown bits of the bottom of the pan and stirring them into the juice. Add the flavored butter and stir until melted.  Serve immediately with more lemon wedges on the side.

Mediterranean Green Bean and Farro Salad 

Serves 6

1 cup farro
2 cups water
Zest from ½ lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup dry red wine
Salt and black pepper to taste

Combine the farro and water, along with plenty of salt, in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer and cover.  Cook until tender, about 30 minutes.  Drain, stir in the lemon zest, and set aside.

In another pot or frying pan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and fry it until is becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the green beans, olives, tomatoes, oregano, and about a teaspoon of salt.  Cover and simmer until beans are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the red wine and season with more salt and black pepper. Turn off the heat and allow the wine to absorb into the sauce, about 30 minutes.

In a large serving dish, combine the farro and tomato sauce.  Can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold.